Bank of the West, Grossmont Center Branch

Horrible
Overall Rating
Interest Rate and Cost
Office Environment & Staff
Waiting Time
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by kmar, Jul. 14, 2018

*This is the worst bank EVER, this particular location with this staff and manager is the only branch I know about. My parents loved this bank where they lived before and insisted on maintaining their accounts at this bank when they moved here.  Aside from the first month or so we have had nothing but inconvenience and now outright trouble accessing our accounts.  My father passed away in the spring.  We spoke with bank to ensure accounts were in good shape for mom to keep using.  We asked if changes needed to be made to the account, which is a trust.  We provided death certificate and were told all was fine.   
Apparently the teller helping mom, instead of just making changes indicating dad was dead, froze all assets!  Seriously, all assets.  So mom went grocery shopping and NO money.  Called bank, back and forth THREE times on the phone and twice in person.  Each time they insisted, somewhat patronizingly, that the account was fine and mom could get to her money fine.  Well, each time she couldn't.  We talked to the manager several times and she insisted they had done nothing wrong and her account was not frozen.  Finally someone found the mistake the teller made.  It was quickly corrected 3 days later!  3 days!  Of course no apologies, didn't matter to them.  Poor mom.

Now we have a check to the trust to deposit-again, deposit, deposit into her account. So the first time mom and I went in to deposit the check I forgot the deposit slip (do banks still use these?) and didn't know the account number, or her social security number (which I finally got her to stop carrying in her purse).  Apparently a drivers license isn't adequate.  So the teller looked the check over and told me they couldn't look up the account with only a drivers license, we needed to bring back the account number and a completed deposit slip.  So we went back with a deposit slip and the account number.   Now here is the specialty of BOTW....  There is NOW a rule that they didn't mention last time....so SUDDENLY they are unable to deposit the check to the trust (the trust it is made out to, the EXACT SAME check she looked over earlier) because dad didn't sign the check... Remember, this is the trust account we discussed with them earlier, when dad died but now, months later, we are unable to deposit funds needed for mom's care because the check is to mom AND dad.  
FYI we have been able to deposit and cash checks to mom AND dad (written to both, with an and, which BOTW insists is impossible) at 2 other banks as long as we provide dad's death certificate.

* this reviewer has be with this bank for >10 years
* this reviewer had 3 - 5 banks before.
* this review was made on Bank of the West, Grossmont Center Branch at La Mesa, CA
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